Business Development Manager - Investments

AJ Bell plc; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A growing investment firm in Manchester seeks an experienced Business Development Manager to lead new business growth across the North region. This role involves developing and executing strategic plans to build trusted relationships with advisers and firms, managing inflows, and collaborating across teams. The ideal candidate should have a strong background in investment sales, a solid understanding of investment products like OEICs, and excellent interpersonal skills. A friendly working environment and a hybrid model are part of the offering.

Benefits

Competitive starting salary + sales bonus

27 days holiday + buy/sell scheme

Pension scheme with matched contributions

Discretionary bonus scheme

Health Cash Plan

Free on-site gym

Personal development programmes

Qualifications

• Proven track record in investment sales or business development.
• Strong understanding of investment products like OEICs and SIPPs.
• Demonstrated success in managing adviser relationships.

Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver regional new business targets.
• Develop a regional business plan and execute marketing campaigns.
• Identify and sign up new adviser firms.

Skills

Investment sales or business development

Excellent understanding of investment products

Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills

Collaborative approach

Organised and self-motivated

Education

Level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning

Job description

Business Development Manager - Investments

Are you a natural business developer with a passion for investments and building trusted adviser relationships?
AJ Bell is a FTSE 250 investment business that’s growing rapidly, and we’re looking for an experienced Business Development Manager to lead new business growth across the North region.

This is a high-profile, client-facing role where you’ll represent AJ Bell Investments, promoting our funds, Model Portfolio Services (MPS), and PMPS to financial advisers and discretionary firms. You’ll take full ownership of your regional strategy, working with internal and external stakeholders to grow inflows and strengthen adviser engagement across your territory.

What you’ll do:

• Lead and deliver regional new business targets for AJ Bell Investments.
• Develop and execute a regional business plan, including marketing campaigns, investment roadshows, and third-party events.
• Identify, engage, and sign up new adviser firms to adopt AJ Bell Investments within their Centralised Investment Proposition (CIP) or fund selection process.
• Build long-term, trusted relationships with financial advisers, meeting activity and engagement KPIs.
• Conduct regular meetings with top firms, providing quarterly SWOT analyses to highlight opportunities and strengthen partnerships.
• Maintain detailed meeting notes and report inflows/outflows to the Head of Sales.
• Collaborate across AJ Bell teams – including Investments, Business Development, Key Accounts, and Platform Sales to maximise results.
• Represent AJ Bell Investments at national sales meetings, internal briefings, and client-facing events.
• Stay up to date with platform developments and investment proposition enhancements to deliver credible, consultative conversations with advisers.
• Share best practice across teams and contribute to training that enhances overall performance.

What we’re looking for:

Experience & Competence:

• Proven track record in investment sales or business development, ideally within an IFA or intermediary-facing environment.
• Strong understanding of investment products such as OEICs, SIPPs, and Model Portfolio Services.
• Demonstrated success in delivering new business growth and managing adviser relationships.
• Established network of adviser firms across the region.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Excellent understanding of investment propositions, platforms, and the UK regulatory landscape.
• Confident communicator with strong interpersonal and negotiation skills.
• Collaborative approach, able to work effectively with internal teams and external partners.
• Organised, self‑motivated, and capable of managing a diverse and active pipeline.
• Level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning – desirable.
• Full UK driving licence required.

About Us:

AJ Bell is one of the fastest‑growing investment platform businesses in the UK offering an award‑winning range of solutions that caters for everyone, from professional financial advisers to DIY investors with little to no experience. We have over 644,000 customers using our award‑winning platform propositions to manage assets totalling more than £103.3 billion. Our customers trust us with their investments, and by continuously striving to make investing easier, we aim to help even more people take control of their financial futures.

Having listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange in December 2018, AJ Bell is now a FTSE 250 company.

Headquartered in Manchester with offices in central London and Bristol, we now have over 1,500 employees and have been named one of the UK's ‘Best 100 Companies to Work For’ for six consecutive years and in 2025 named a Great Place to Work®.

At AJ Bell you can expect a friendly working environment with a strong sense of teamwork, we have a great sense of pride in what we do, and this is reflected in our guiding principles.

In return for your hard work you will be entitled to:

• Competitive starting salary + sales bonus
• Starting holiday entitlement of 27 days, increasing up to 31 days with length of service and a holiday buy and sell scheme
• A choice of pension schemes with matched contributions up to 8%
• Discretionary bonus scheme
• Annual free share awards scheme
• Buy As You Earn (BAYE) Scheme
• Health Cash Plan – provided by SimplyHealth
• Discounted private healthcare scheme and dental plan
• Free on‑site gym providing a wide range of free classes
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Sick pay + pledge
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave
• Discounted nursery fees at Kids Planet on Exchange Quay
• Loans for travel season tickets
• Charitable giving opportunities through salary sacrifice
• Calendar of social events, including monthly payday drinks, annual Christmas party, summer party and much more
• Personal development programmes built around you and your career goals, including access to personal skills workshops
• Ongoing technical training
• Peer recognition scheme, with rewards including restaurant and shopping vouchers or time off
• Monthly leadership breakfasts and lunches
• Access to a range of benefits from our sponsorship deals

Hybrid Working

At AJ Bell, our people are the heart of our culture. We believe in building strong connections by working together. That’s why we offer a hybrid working model, where you’ll spend a minimum of 50% of your working time per month in the office. For new team members, an initial period will be full‑time in the office to help you immerse yourself in our business and build valuable relationships with your colleagues.

AJ Bell is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and all employees are empowered to bring their whole self to work.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, pregnancy, religion, physical and mental disability, marital status and any other characteristics protected by the Equality Act 2010. All decisions to hire are based on qualifications, merit and business need.

If you like the sound of the above or just want to know more about the company and the role, we'd love to speak to you.